Nest-box.



No. 800,495. PATENTED. SEPT. '26, 1905.

c. o. SCOTT.

NEST BOX,

APPLIOATIOH FILED TUNE 12. 1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT CFFTCE.

NEST-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept.v 26, 1905.

Application filed June 12,1905. Serial No. 264,924,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. Soon, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Pueblo, in the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Nest-Boxes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in nest-boxes.

The object of the invention is to provide a box of this character which when entered by a fowl will be automatically closed, thereby preventing the entrance of other fowls while the box is occupied.

A further object is to provide a box of this character which will be simple, strong, and durable in construction, reliable in operation, and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

W'ith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the nest-box, showing the cover of the same in open position. Fig. 2 is a rear end view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the box, showing a hen on the nest and the cover in closed position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a base-board to one end of which is hingedly connected the front end of a nest-box 2, said box being of any suitable size and shape. To the front end of the box is connected short legs or feet 3, which rest on the base-board l and to which and to said base-board are secured hinges 4, by which the forward end of said box is connected to the board.

Hingedl y connected to the top of the opposite end of the box is a cover 6, said cover consisting of a transversely-disposed hinged board 7, to which is secured the forwardly-projecting tapering slats or bars 8. Said bars are of such length that the free ends of the same will engage or rest upon the front end of the box when the cover is in closed position. Secured to the upper side of the hinged board 7 is an upwardly-projecting rearwardly-inclined arm or bracket 9. which is hingedly connected to the upper end of a standard 10, said standard being hingedly connected at its lower end to the base-board 1 adjacent to the rear end of the box. Connected to the standard 10, near the lower end of the same, is a coil-spring 12, the upper end of which is connected to the rearwardly projecting end of the arm or bracket 9. The tension of the spring 12 is to normally raise and hold the cover of the box in an open position and to support the rear end of the box above the base-board 1, the box being in an inclined position and resting at its forward end upon the feet 3, which engage the forward end of the base-board, as shown. The rearwardly or upwardly projecting arm 9 forms a lever the fulcrum-point of which is upon the upper end of the standard 10, so that the power of the spring 12 will rock said arm on the standard, and thereby raise the cover 6 and the rear end of the box, as hereinbefore described, the cover of the box being thus normally held in an open position when the box is unoccupied.

When a fowl enters the box, she would fly upon the upper edge of the front end of the box, from whence she would fly into the box, the weight of the fowl when in the box being sufficient to overcome the tension of the spring 12 and to force the rear end of the box downwardly into engagement with the base-board,

which movement of the box would rock the arm 9 forwardly upon the standard 10, thereby closing the slatted cover of the box, which would remain closed as long as the box is occupied. When the fowl desired to leave the box, she would fly upwardly toward the slatted portion of the top, thus relieving the box of her weight, thereby allowing the spring to act, which would immediately raise the cover, thus permitting the fowl to fly or jump out of the box.

A box of this character will be found useful for laying hens; but it is especially adapted for the use of setting hens to prevent them from being disturbed by other fowls, at the same time permitting them to leave the nest when desired.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

IIO

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A device of the character described comprising a base-board, a nest-box hingedly connected at its front end to said board, a normally open cover hingedly connected to the top of the opposite end of the box, and means connected to said cover whereby the same will be closed by the weight of the fowl entering the same, substantially as described.

2. A device of the character described comprising a base-board, a nest-box hingedly connected at its front end to said board, a normally open cover hingedly connected to the top of the opposite end of the box, astandard hingedly connected to the base-board, means whereby the upper end of the standard is connected to said cover, and a spring adapted to normally hold said cover open and the box in a tilted position, whereby when a fowl enters the same said box will be lowered and the cover closed against the tension of the spring, substantially as described.

3. A device of the character described comprising a base-board, a nest-box hi ngedl y connected at its lower front end to said baseboard, a cover hingedly connected to the top of the opposite end of the box, said cover consisting of a transversely-disposed hinge-board and for wardly-projecting slats secured to said board, a standard hingedly connected to the base-board at the free end of the box, an upwardly and rearwardly projecting arm secured to the hingeboard of the cover and hingedly connected to the upper end of said standard, and a spring connected to the end of said arm and to the lower portion of the standard, thereby normally holding this end of the box elevated and the cover raised, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES C. SCOTT. Witnesses:

PAUL WILSON, HENRY M. TURNER. 

